CARLSBAD (CBS 8/CNS) - A wife faces attempted murder charges in what police are calling a botched murder-for-hire plot to kill her husband in the North County.
A Carlsbad woman and an employee of an Oceanside gun range where she took marksmanship lessons were arrested Thursday for allegedly planning and carrying out a shooting that wounded the woman's estranged husband.
Diana Lovejoy, 43, and Weldon McDavid Jr., 49, were booked into county jail on suspicion of attempted murder, conspiracy, assault with a deadly weapon and assault causing great bodily injury, according to police.
The victim, 45-year-old Greg Mulvihill, suffered a bullet wound to his side in an access road off Avenida Soledad about 11:15 p.m. Sept. 1. He was hospitalized in stable condition.
Detectives said they believed Lovejoy and McDavid planned the crime and that the latter called the victim, arranged to meet him in the alley and opened fire on him with a rifle while hiding in a patch of bushes, police said.
Police say McDavid worked at a shooting range in Oceanside, where Lovejoy had reportedly taken lessons.
"I don’t know of any evidence to support a love triangle, but I do believe there is evidence that financial gain may have influence Mr. McDavid," Capt. Mickey Williams said.
Court records show the estranged couple was in an ugly divorce battle and was fighting over custody of their young son. She had a restraining order against him and accused him of sexual and emotional abuse.
Police have yet to announce a motive in the shooting, but Lovejoy claims she was sexually molested by Mulvhill while they were married.
Mulvhill has denied the allegations. He was initially ordered to stay away from her and their son. He was eventually granted joint custody as they negotiated their divorce.
Hours after Lovejoy was arrested, he filed for full custody. He explained to the judge, "[The] mother was arrested for my attempted murder. She allegedly hired someone to shoot me."
Lovejoy faces 26 years to life and McDavid faces 50 years to life if convicted. Both are expected to appear in court Monday for arraignment.
Lovejoy and Mulvhill's son turns turns four-years-old on Monday.